Rihanna - You Da One

On first listen, You Da One felt like the first faltering steps for Rihanna after years of unimpeded pop glory. While by no means a bad tune, it felt like a predictable rehashing of past RiRi tropes - a safe middle ground between the Bajan lilt of Rude Boi and the sensual rhythms of What's My Name.

But in time it's done much to grow on me. Like some of Rihanna's best moments, You Da One is a real slow burner, and sometimes the tracks need to strike you just at the right tangent to ring true. At this time of year, the song's blatant summery vibes feel out of place, thematically dry - but the promise is there, a tantalising urging to seek out promised pleasures. As Rihanna sings, 'You da one I dream about every day...'

As an ode to that imagined, perfect sweetheart, You Da One captures the magical swirling of such feelings perfectly - as a sharing of communal affection, it's nice to see Rihanna going for a more cheery brand of sensuality than the S&M uber-sexed flavours of past singles for a change.

You Da One is released on the 2nd January.